Royal Ontario Museum Blog

Monthly Archive: December

Totally Buggin’: Spiders and Insects in Pop Culture

Posted: October 13, 2018 - 15:27 , by Kiron Mukherjee
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Image Credit: Director of Photography TRENT OPALOCH; Director NEILL BLOMKAMP. DISTRICT 9 image copyright TRISTAR PICTURES INC.

He slowly raises his head. It’s then that she notices a clicking noise emanating from beneath his jaw. The workings of his jaw begin to move. Something is not right. 

Image Credit: Director of Photography TRENT OPALOCH; Director NEILL BLOMKAMP. DISTRICT 9 image copyright TRISTAR PICTURES INC.

Eight-legged and Adorable

Posted: October 13, 2018 - 14:58 , by Kiron Mukherjee
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Jumping Spider. © Natasha Hirt, 2017. Used with permission.

Let me paint you a picture of a spectacular critter. Staring up at you is an adorable little animal precious enough that it could fit in your hand. You carefully pick him up, and his tiny feet tickle your palm. As he slowly nestles into your hand, you realize that their fluffy body is soft to the touch. When you lean in to say hello, he peers back at you with shimmering eyes so sparkly that it seems like a cartoon character has come to life. Just like you, he can appreciate an evening staying cozy inside with his human pals. What are you thinking of?

Glimpses of Upper Burma: Clement Williams (1833-1879)

Posted: August 31, 2018 - 18:22 , by Deepali Dewan
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Black and white pagoda image

The recently-acquired collection of photography, documents, and artifacts provides a rare glimpse into Upper Burma before colonization, allowing us to consider the intersection of politics, trade, and religion in the 19th century. Written by Ron Graham and Deepali Dewan.

Appreciation of Indigenous Storytelling with Sister Spider

Posted: August 30, 2018 - 11:30 , by Sarah Elliott
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Written by Carly Brascoupé, Kiowa Wind Memorial Indigenous Youth Intern

“Origins of Chintz,” The Exhibit: A Look Back to 1970

Posted: July 6, 2018 - 12:10 , by ROM
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View of the Exhibition “Origins of Chintz”

“Chintz… the exotic fabric from India that caught Europe’s fancy… So popular it was banned in England and France… Revolutionized Europe’s textile printing industry.”

Thus exclaimed the brochure that accompanied the ROM’s landmark exhibition, ‘The Origins of Chintz’, which opened in April, 1970, now nearly fifty years ago. Occupying the whole of the central ground gallery, known today as Currelly’s Court, the exhibition displayed nearly 100 towering examples of Indian ‘chintz’.  

Safavid Tile Project II: Rebuilding the Friezes

Posted: June 26, 2018 - 12:28 , by Robert Mason
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976.298.123 Tiled arch frieze of dragon-slaying scene, made in Isfahan, Iran, Safavid Period 17th century AD; here photographed in the old ROM Islamic gallery

The ROM's Wirth Gallery of The Middle East is blessed with two complete friezes of cuerda seca tiles that would have been in the spandrels of arches. These were made in Iran in the last third of the 17th century under the Safavid dynasty, probably in Isfahan. They were bought by the ROM in 1974 by Curator Lisa Golombek together with a number of other tiles that make up parts of these friezes, or sometimes individual tiles.

Safavid Tile Project I: The Technology

Posted: June 26, 2018 - 12:27 , by Robert Mason
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976.298.6-47 one of the ROM's complete Safavid tile friezes, of a picnic scene, photographed here in the old ROM galleries from the 1980's.

Some of the most noticeable objects in the ROM's Wirth Gallery of The Middle East are two friezes of tiles that would have been in the spandrels of arches. These were made in Iran in the last third of the 17th century under the Safavid dynasty, probably for a palatial building in Isfahan. The ROM also has parts of other spandrel friezes, and also some stray tiles that belong to yet other friezes. In order to understand these objects more fully, ROM staff have been undertaking research on the tiles.

The Healing Power of Dinosaurs: A look at Dinosaur Day at The Hospital for Sick Children

Posted: June 20, 2018 - 16:44 , by royal
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Photo of a girl at Sick Kids doing a dinosaur craft. Photo credit Mark Bernards3

Written by Min Wong, Outreach Volunteer, Member of Friends of Palaeontology

#ROMSocial - Museum Highlights

Posted: April 26, 2018 - 08:46 , by ROM
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Tour the museum before we OPEN!

National Volunteer Week 2018: Sharon Aitken

Posted: April 18, 2018 - 07:13 , by ROM
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Get to know some of our volunteers this week!